1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a duplex receptacle for electric cable wiring. More specifically, it relates to a duplex receptacle provided in an enclosure which allows for a simplified installation of switched and non-switched outlets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A duplex receptacle, also known as a convenience outlet, is an electrical wiring device that allows electrical current or power to be available at desirable locations. These locations being in residential homes, commercial buildings, or anywhere that you would need access to electrical power. Duplex, meaning two, explains that there are two outlets or receptacles in one. A duplex receptacle can be used in two different applications. The first and most widely used is simply to provide electrical current to appliances, electric powered motors, and anything that operates using electricity.
In FIG. 1 (prior art) both receptacles (200 & 201) are energized or powered from a power panel (100) and the wire connections are made to screw terminals (110). The second application illustrated in FIG. 2 (prior art), a duplex receptacle (200) can be wired in a branch circuit such that half of the receptacle, or one outlet (203), is always energized and the other is controlled by a switch (102). An example of this would be to control a floor or table lamp in a room from a wall switch where a ceiling light fixture would not be present. A typical application is often done in living rooms and some bedrooms. This type of wiring is accomplished by breaking the metal tab (107) on the duplex receptacle between the two screw terminals (110) when the receptacle is installed. See FIG. 2.a (prior art).
The current method of installing and wiring a duplex receptacle is time consuming and involved. The electrician has to supply a 2 conductor with ground, non-metallic cable or (Romex®), into an enclosure which is mounted to the wall, strip away the insulating jacket, separate the individual conductors, strip the insulation from each of the conductors, attach each conductor to the screw terminals on the receptacle, and then mount the receptacle to the box. Should the electrician want to install the receptacle so it can be used in a switched circuit as in FIG. 2, he would break off the link or (breakaway tab), that connects the two sets of terminals (110), FIG. 2a. Next the wires coming from the switch would be attached to one set of terminals and then connect another set of wires coming from the power panel to the other set of terminals on the receptacle. Should that circuit need to be converted back to using that receptacle as a duplex power outlet as in FIG. 1, the electrician would have to replace that receptacle or make a jumper (link) and attach it between the two sets of terminals and re-install the receptacle.
The concept of providing a modular system wherein male plugs would simply be inserted into corresponding female ports built into a prewired switch is suggested by Libby, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,551. The Libby '551 patent teaches that it is desirable to reduce and simplify the number of steps required in wiring an electrical power distribution system and to make electrical connections without the need to strip the ends of the individual conductors in an electrical cable. FIGS. 1 through 10 show the typical manner in which the electrical wiring of a receptacle was accomplished in the past. FIGS. 11a–d and 12 of Libby '551 show and describe the use of a box into which male cable plugs are inserted into female connectors 46 provided in the box to simplify the wiring of the box. Other possible solutions to the problems relating to duplex receptacles are proposed in Francisco, U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,307 and Francisco, U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,157. In these patents, the use of a spring loaded with leg and a rotatable pin (or other means selectively connect selected bus bars or plates) are used to convert a constantly hot outlet to either an external switch or a secondary source of power. While these patents appear to provide some improvement over the prior art, the devices are overly complex and still require manual wiring of electrical conductors to various screw terminals on the receptacles. The present invention relates to a new and improved duplex receptacle which does not require any manual wiring in which can preferably be converted from one application to another from a location outside of a sealed enclosure.